Hips displasia/arthritis - may be a time for the op....

gettingready

Caroline - apparently on high alert red till 6 weeks are up.. then on orange till 3 months from op are up....

But FR people respond to any worries/queries with speed of light so......

The silly cow is snoring happily now and I am just toping up MY painkillers... sigh....

SadBunny

Oh dear !!
"...she was off like a shot - into my bedroom and JUMPED onto my bed..."
She's so happy and doesn't know what's good for her - she'd be easier to manage if she was depressed.

"And there was a guy on a motorcycle.... she never ever reacted to those before but today she lunged towards him..."
You are (naturally) feeling anxious so that will also transmit to her - wonder if she was on the alert wanting to look after you?

Probably she has so much pent up energy she was up for a chase - any excuse for a sprint.
When she is out for her walk can you drop some of her dried food so she is more interested in browsing through the grass?
I wondered if she could carry a newspaper - she won't expect you to throw that.
Do it very seriously so that she knows it's not a game - it's her job.
Praise her when you take it back - a job well done.

I wonder if you are well enough to do some extra training:

If your dog is permitted to take a short on-leash walk each day, you can use this time to practice heeling slowly, heeling backwards, figure eights... other behaviors that will require your dog to think without placing extra stress on her body as she recovers from surgery.
http://www.ehow.com/how_6145269_keep-crate-he_s-recovering-surgery.html

She should stay calmer while she's focused on you - you're her leader.

• my high energy dog who can easily run 10 miles and not be tired, will be exhausted after 30 minutes of nose work or tracking training.

• My Aussie had to be on total crate rest for 6 months following bilateral TPLO surgery. I do feel your pain. She also handled it by becoming more calm. She did not anticipate any activity so did not miss it. She did not get an opportunity to become wound up. Life was sedentary. She came through it with no lasting trouble and came right back into fitness (and her loveable bad girl Aussie ways) when her activity returned to previous levels...

• ... but I actually became consistent at lengthening down-stays and loose-leash walking at a slow pace. I mean, I couldn’t not be- it would have been dangerous for her health. I got a halti, refused to move fast, and refused to move at all under any leash tension. I refused to give her attention until she was laying down, and then I only gave her long slow relaxing pets, belly rubs etc. I learned to be calm and so did my dog. By the end of her crate confinement, we had even succeeded in learning a laying-down version of reverse fetch- where my dog would fling the ball with just her jaws, and I would grab it and give it back to her...

http://www.theotherendoftheleash.com/just-enough-exercise-to-wake-up-our-dogs

So it seems that cage rest is supposed to make her more lethargic - somebody should tell her!

Check your own energy! Your dog is your mirror. Any energy you project, he will reflect back. Are you in a calm assertive state of mind? Are you stressing out over an argument, or burdened with the worries of your work? Dogs can be sensitive and pick up on your moods. Nervous or anxious moods can translate into nervous or anxious body language or tones of voice, and can affect the energy of your dog.
http://www.canineandco.co.uk/blog/post/10_tips_to_treat_hyperactivity_in_dogs/11/

This is hard work for you - and even worse when you're not in good health yourself.
Can your daughter do any extra? Her boyfriend?
Be great if they could take care of the routine household tasks - every little helps.
When you're exhausted you make mistakes leading to more work and worry.
You need to put all your energy towards getting Zara and yourself well again.

Think about how much better it's going to be a month from now.
Don't worry - be strong... be vigilant... be happy!
Get some rest.

Easy to say - hope you can - your vet was reassuring.

Providing Activities for Convalescing Dogs

http://www.dogstardaily.com/blogs/environment-enrichment

gettingready

SadBunny - you are a start.. will have a proper read when I am at home (at work now).

My daughter and her b/f do not live with me or near enough to pop round I am afraid so all really up to me..

Thanks again

gettingready

Zara is happily munching on her ice cream - frozen jelly made of chicken feet (yes feet not legs) boiled for ages and the stock with bits of meat in it frozen in cubes like, quite large.. she loves her ice cream

Auntie Paddypaws provided the chicken feet - thanks a lot....

rising_from_the_ashes

Glad to hear she's doing so well GR - need cheering up (not trying to hijack your thread but I'm really NOT having a good day)

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=53989957&postcount=410

gettingready

Oh dear....

Just be glad you did not kill yourself chopping through the wire.. Jesussssssssssss woman.....

gettingready

Rising - I do nto see an option to reply on yoru thread?

Instead of chocking stuff outy - why don't you move th freezer into the house, plug somewhere and keep all the food? Am I missing something?

rising_from_the_ashes

Sorry GR I just quoted that post from my diary ..... it's been off for 3 days so everything's defrosted *sigh*

Maisie is doing quite well out of it tho' as most of her meat was OK (couple of packs of cubed meat had to go) and she's scored on the mince (human variety) front too!

I'll be cooking all night!

gettingready

We are coming up to 5 weeks since Zara's operarion, fingers crossed all is ok.
Going back to FR on the 9th for Xrays and kind of "discharge" - hope all is well... She walks ok but was a bit worried about her kind of limping so emailed Alex describing the way she walks and he emailed me back that all sounds fine for this lengh of time after the op.

Wonder what they will say about George too as taking him with us. He had op on both back legs (luxating patella) last year , seems fine in himself but I do not like the way he walks - comparing to the other 3 cats I have so want them to check him over....

One more week and a day to go....

gettingready

Tomorrow will be 6 weeks since Zara's op - we packed the cage yesterdas as my daughter was here.

Zara obviously very happy NOT to have to be in a cage any more..





Tomorrow - a trip to surrey to FR for check up and Xrays, hope all is well.....